Submission to the inquiry into the availability and access to enabling communications infrastructure in Australia's external territories Australian Antarctic Division 25 March 2021 Australian Antarctic Division .................................................................................................. 1 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3 Current Availability and Access ............................................................................................ 4 Opportunities for Improving Infrastructure .......................................................................... 5 Undersea Fibre Cable to Antarctica ...................................................................................... 5 Improved satellite communications ....................................................................................... 5 A complementary approach .................................................................................................. 5 Opportunities for Antarctic Science ..................................................................................... 5 Increased Earth Observations Capability .............................................................................. 5 Improved Ice Monitoring Capability ....................................................................................... 6 Increased Deployment of Sensor networks ........................................................................... 6 Remote Operation of Equipment ........................................................................................... 6 Access to Online Data, High Performance Computing and Cloud Services at Stations ......... 6 Support for Dynamic Experimental Design ............................................................................ 6 Opportunities for Antarctic Operations ................................................................................ 7 Improved Safety .................................................................................................................... 7 Increased Remote Support Capability ................................................................................... 7 Improved coordination between headquarters, stations, and RSV Nuyina ............................ 7 Decreased Environmental Impact ......................................................................................... 7 Increased Quality of Life on Station ...................................................................................... 7 Economic Opportunities ........................................................................................................ 8 Technology and Infrastructure Opportunities ...................................................................... 8 2 Summary • The Australian Antarctic Territory comprises approximately 5.9 million square kilometres or 42 per cent of the Antarctic continent. The Heard Island and McDonald Islands Territory is located in the southern Indian Ocean, the associated Marine Reserve covers approximately 71,200 square kilometres. • Australia has deep and enduring national interests in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Improved communications to the Australian Antarctic Territory would support these interests and significantly enhance Australia’s scientific and operational capability in the region. • An investment in undersea fibre cable and satellite data capability has the potential to address the constraints presently faced by the Australian Antarctic Program in using communications technologies for science and operations. It also has the potential to transform Australia’s Antarctic science program capabilities and ensure that these are future-proofed. • Strong communications capability is in alignment with the whole-of-Government Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan, and is a necessary precursor to secure the future of Hobart and Tasmania as a modern and functional Antarctic Gateway, supporting the needs of expeditioners, and the requirements of modern infrastructure and programs. Introduction The Australian Antarctic Division welcomes this opportunity to contribute to the Committee’s inquiry into the availability and access to enabling communications infrastructure in Australia’s external territories. The Australian Antarctic Division is responsible for the administration of the Australian Antarctic Territory and Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and leads, coordinates and delivers the Australian Antarctic Program. The Australian Antarctic Territory is a sovereign part of Australia. It is administered as such, and is subject to Australia’s legal regime. The Australian Antarctic Territory comprises approximately 5.9 million square kilometres or 42 per cent of the Antarctic continent. Australia acknowledges that the Australian Antarctic Territory is not universally recognised, and supports the 1959 Antarctic Treaty and associated instruments (collectively known as the Antarctic Treaty Ssystem) as the best way of accommodating differing views on Antarctic sovereignty and protecting Australia’s national interests in the region. The Heard Island and McDonald Islands Territory is a sovereign part of Australia and is managed in accordance with the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve Management Plan. The Marine Reserve covers an area of approximately 71,200 square kilometres. The Australian Antarctic Division maintains permanent scientific research stations at Casey, Davis and Mawson in the Australian Antarctic Territory, and sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island (part of Tasmania). The Australian Antarctic Division is headquartered in Hobart, Tasmania. The distance from Hobart to the four research stations is 3443, 4838, 5475 and 1542 kilometres respectively. The research stations are supported by shipping and aviation capabilities – primarily a multi-role icebreaking vessel, chartered commercial and Royal Australian Air Force intercontinental aircraft to provide an airbridge to Wilkins Aerodrome ice runway (proximate to Casey Station) and smaller fixed and rotary wing aircraft. The Heard Island and McDonald 3 Island Territory is 4398 kilometres from Hobart. There are no permanent scientific research facilities only emergency shelters. Scientific and logistic support activity in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean is largely restricted to the Austral Summer Period between October and March. In addition to activity at the permanent research stations, during the summer research season remote field bases are also established to support coastal and inland activity. Dedicated marine science voyages also occur during this period. Access to, and delivery of, information is critical to the Australian Antarctic Program and advancing Australia’s national interests in the region. Enhancing Australia’s communications capability is also aligned with the Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan, which identifies the need to “Develop and promote Tasmania as the leading international Antarctic research hub and logistics Gateway for East Antarctica” and highlights “progressing options to modernise infrastructure at Australia’s three research stations”, and “improving access to East Antarctica, for our scientific research and operational needs”. Hobart is a globally-recognised Antarctic gateway of international diplomacy, operational support and logistics, and science services. The city serves as headquarters for key international Antarctic institutions such as the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) Secretariat. Hobart provides a technical services hub for maintenance and supply of specialised equipment, and logistics to several other national Antarctic programs. Current Availability and Access Communications between the Australian Antarctic Division’s headquarters in Hobart Tasmania, and Australia’s research stations are currently achieved through satellite infrastructure provided by SpeedCast via 7.3 metre diameter satellite antennas at each of the four stations. The antennas use C-band, providing a bandwidth of 9mbs with an added 300ms delay on all data communications. WAN compression technology via Exinda allows for slightly higher data rates while prioritising voice and medical communications over other network services. Each station has a backup data link via an Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) with a very low bandwidth of up to 0.65Mbps and a delay of about 700ms. The Australian Antarctic Division makes extensive use of the Iridium satellite constellation with over 70 iridium handsets principally used for voice, but also for some data communications. The Australian Antarctic Division is currently trialling Iridium Certus for use during Antarctic traverses, and as a backup system to replace BGAN. The Australian Antarctic Division also use satellite tracking technology using a Garmin mobile tracker, to allow the tracking of personnel in the field. 4 Opportunities for Improving Infrastructure Undersea Fibre Cable to Antarctica Installation of a submarine fibre cable to the Australian Antarctic Territory would provide a stable, high-speed transfer connection to Australian Antarctic stations. The capacity of a fibre cable would be